Veles is an old Russian god of animals, livestock and wealth. He was the second most important after Perun. This deity was worshiped not only in antiquity, modern Orthodox pagans and Rodnover continued to worship him.
God Veles in antiquity
Since Veles was the god of cattle breeding, he was asked for protection for cattle. In this regard, some Slavic tribes began to call the shepherds "Veles." According to ancient beliefs, the Slavic god Veles could turn into a bear, so he was considered the patron saint of hunting. Veles called the spirit of the beast killed during the hunt. This Slavic deity had another important purpose. In particular, Veles "pas" in the afterlife of the souls of the dead. Therefore, the Lithuanians called the day of remembrance of the dead “Veles time”. According to legend, a rite of burning animal bones was held on this day. In addition, Veles was the embodiment of gold.
In the 10th century, the cult of this deity was common in Novgorod, Kiev, as well as in Rostov land. In the annals it is mentioned that the idol of the god Veles once stood in Kiev on Podil. In 907, entering into an agreement with Byzantium, the Russians swore not only to Perun, but also to Veles. Among the ancient Slavs, livestock was a measure of wealth, so it is not surprising that the god Veles was highly esteemed.
The Slavs celebrated the so-called Veles days, which coincide with the modern Christmas time and Maslenitsa. These days it was customary to dress in sheepskin coats and animal masks. Especially important was March 24, when Komoeditsy was celebrated. It is interesting that thanks to this holiday the famous expression arose: "The first pancake is lumpy." Initially, this saying was pronounced differently: "The first pancake is com." It was believed that on this day the bears (coma) woke up and left the den. To appease the bears, they had to give the first baked pancake.
God Veles in the modern world
With the advent of Christianity in Russia, the veneration of Veles was supplanted by the cult of St. Blasius. He also patronizes livestock. Traces of the pagan cult are preserved in the veneration of St. Blasia in the north of Russia. Such a combination is nothing but Orthodox paganism. At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian peasants adhered to an ancient custom, according to which several ears of corn should be left uncompressed as a gift to Veles. These ears were called “hairs” or “hair beard”. Such a gift was to appease not only Veles, but also the souls of their ancestors. It was the latter who could ask the deity for a future harvest. On the other hand, the pagan god Veles eventually began to relate to an unclean spirit or a devil.
But the Veles cult was preserved not only in some “Christian” traditions, but also in Rodnover. The latter is a neopagan religious movement whose purpose is to revive the ancient Slavic beliefs and rites. According to the Rodnovers, the knowledge and rites of the ancient Slavs are sacred, so they try to observe and reconstruct them. Among the Rodnovers, the god Veles is a black deity, the lord of the dead, in addition, he is responsible for wisdom and helps the magi. The neo-pagans attach great importance to Veles, in particular, there is a community of associations called the Veles Circle.
